Fail Safe Is A Myth: Fail To Win Is Real

Posted on by Jim Grew

Ford CEO Alan Mulally behaved radically to kick-start Ford’s recovery: At the annual company meeting of the top 500 leaders, he included in the many awards a special, first-of-its kind award: Failure of the Year.

He called out the winner, and invited him to the stage to receive his award… and to underline his commitment to trying radically, especially when it led to failure! Since the quiet buzz in most organizations pushes for success, it pushes for ‘not-fail’ also. ‘Not-fail’ can’t live with ‘innovate radically’: one will eat the other.

How to ramp up problem-solving to innovation? Make it safe to fail. Reward trying, not results. Watch the performance jump! Look closely at how you and your top leaders react to failure, because all your people are watching.

Here’s a 2-step process that works: 1. Acknowledge the failure. 2. Encourage the effort, not the result. Here’s the language:

1) “That didn’t work like we hoped, did it?”

2) “Nice job of analyzing the problem. Your answer sure made sense. Keep on thinking and trying your best ideas….we’ll make progress that way.” Or:

1) “That one didn’t do so well did it.”

2) “I like how you dug down to see what was really going on. That’s a great approach. I can’t wait to see what you dig up next!”

You’ll be applauding the results, and your people will love it!

Rail Crossing Leadership

Posted on by Jim Grew

For 100 years kids have learned what leaders need to practice. When they approach a railroad crossing, the sign reminds them to STOP, LOOK, LISTEN. Successful leaders follow these rules. Here’s how:

1. STOP: Stop doing, starting, prodding, pushing, and driving. Instead, create space in your day and your brain. Space to allow inference and insight: the foundation of effectiveness.

2. LOOK: Get out of the office and the meeting room. Walk around and look at what your people, your suppliers and your customers are doing. Consider that for years Toyota has required every new engineer to stand in one spot for much of a day, watching a factory at work. Then he is asked what he saw. The patterns of what’s there and not there will inform your decisions and goals powerfully.

3. LISTEN: Learn to ask carefully pointed questions. What matters more is what you do next: ask the follow-up question that will get you the gold. The “gold” is insight, the elusive reality that essential for success. Tips for better questions:

  • Ask precisely focused and specific questions.
  • Listen closely, to learn what the OTHER person wants… right or wrong.
  • Invite new information by using question words like what, when, how… instead of why. (“Why” can be aggressive, and may shut down another person before they can give you the gold.)

Are you blasting through the crossing, or stopping to look and listen?